Sheet feeding and gumming mechanism



June 1929. G. w. JONES ET AL ,715,7 0

SHEET FEEDING AND GUMMING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 30, 1927 SSheets-Sheet l WITNESS June 4, 1929. w, JONES T AL 1,715,760

SHEET FEEDING AND GUMMING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR W|TN ES5 Z buuy. W21 I:

June 4, 1929; e. w. JONES ET AL SHEET FEEDING AND GUMMING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 30, 1927 3Sheets-Sheet WITNESS Patented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STATES v a v 1,7153% PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. JONES, OF LARCHMONT, NEW YORK; AND JESSE MACINNES, OF DUMONT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO WM. C. JONES ENVELOPE 00., INC., 01? NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SHEET FEEDING AND GUMMIISTG MECHANISM.

Application filed September 30, 1927.

The present invention relates more especially to sheet-feeding and gunnning mechanisms for envelope machines such as that shown on the accompanying drawings but in 5 its broader aspects may be made applicable to machines of other types.

The primary object of our invention is to provide sheet-feeding and gumming mecha nisms of improved construction which in a 10 simple and effective manner will permit the handling of different sized blanks in envelope machines or other machines of a similar character.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide mechanism of improved construction for controlling the sheet-feeding mechanism of machines of the character above referred to whereby the timed operations of the several parts may be effectively and accurately regulated to meet the requirements of sheets of different sizes.

Another object of invention is to provide suitable means -of improved construction for handling sheets of different sizes and for changing the active periods of the glue-applying devices in machines of the character referred to above.

Other and more specific objects of invention will appear in the specification and be pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which exemplify our invention in a preferred embodiment and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an envelope machine of known type provided with our improved controlling mechanism, parts being broken away.

Figure 2 is a similar side elevation of the upper portion of said machine with certain operating parts shown in different positions.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section corresponding to the line,33, of Figure 4.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the upper portion of the machine, the rela-- tive positions of the parts shown therein corresponding to the relative positions of operating parts shown in Figure 2.

Figure is a vertical longitudinal section similar to Figure 4, the relative positions of the parts shown therein corresponding to the relative positions of cooperating parts shown in Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, our invention is shown in an adaptation Serial No. 223,023.

to an envelope machine of known type. In the machine shown on the drawings, the main frame 1 carries an inclined front guide 2 for the forward edges of a pile of sheets 3 mounted on a pile support 4 carried by laterally-spaced brackets 5 to which are connected inclined rackbars 6 by means of which an upward step-by-step movement is imparted to the pile support 1. As shown in Figure 1, the pile-feeding movements may be imparted through a connecting rod 7 which operates through suitable mechanism (not shown) for transmitting power to the rack bars 6. At its upper end, the connecting rod 7 is connected at 8 to a radial arm 9 which oscillates about the axis of a rock-shaft 10, a second radial arm 11 keyed to said rock-shaft being adjustably connected to the radial arm 9 by means of a rod 12 and nut 13. Also keyed to the rock-shaft 10 is a cam-arm 14 provided at its outer end with a cam-roller 15 adapted to run on a cam 16 which is mounted upon a power-driven cam-shaft 17.

Suitable means for separating the sheets and feeding them one by one from the top of the pile includes, in the present instance, a sheet engaging sucker 18 which, as shown in Figure 3, is connected to a transverse bar 19, said bar being carried by laterally-spaced oscillating brackets 20 carried by coaxiallyarranged rock-shaft sections 21. A tubular connection 22 extends between the suction device 18 and an exhaust tube 23 which leads to an exhaust chamber within a casting 24: at the upper end of a suction tube 25. A suitable valve or'closure 26 at the upper end of a lever 27 pivoted on a stud 28, is adapted to open and close the suction chamber at periodic in tervals corresponding to the inactive and active periods of the sheet-engaging sucker. J ournalled in the lower end of suction control lever 27 is a cam-roller 27" which runs on a cam 29 keyed to the cam-shaft 17. A tension spring 30 tends to retain the closure 26 against a port-opening in the suction chamber within casting 241. Cooperatingwith the sheet-engaging sucker is a sheet-guide which, as shown in Figures 3, 1 and 5, comprises a U shaped frame 31 provided with laterallyspaced fingers 32, each of said fingers being provided at its outer end with a depending foot 33. The rear end of frame 31 is pivotally connected at 34 to the lower end of a fixed bracket-arm 35. A link 36 connects each of the sheet-guiding lingers 32 to a bent lever arm 37 keyed to the rockshaft 10, thus adapting the sheet-engaging sucker 18 with the sheet-guiding fingers to be moved from their positions as shown in Figure 1 to and from their positions as shown in Figure 5. It will. be seen from this description that as the sucker moves upwardly, the top sheet is separated from the pile and presented between a lower feedroll 38 and an upper feedroll segment 39, a rearward movement being imparted to the lower feed-roll during the upward movement of the sucker, and while the upper feed-roll segment is approaching the position in which it cooperates with the lower feed roll. The top sheet of the pile is thus fed-off to a closing gripper 40 carried by an endless belt conveyor 11. As shown in Figures l and 5, the endless belt conveyor l1 is provided with sprocket chains 42 which pass over upper sprockets 43 keyed to a transverse shaft 17 and lower sprockets 4:5 keyed to a transverse shaft 46.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the rock shaft 21 which carries the sheet-engaging sucker 18 projects laterally through the side frame 1 and has keyed thereto a lever comprising a slotted arm 17 and a latch-arm 48. Adjustably connected to the slotted arm at? by means of a pin a9, is a cam-rod which is provided with a camroller 51, said cam-roller operating on a cam 52 keyed to the cam-shaft 17. For this purpose, the lower end of cam rod 50 is provided with a slot 53 which slidably engages a stud in the outer end of cam shaft 17. A suitable coil spring 5% tends to maintain the cam-roller 51 in engagement with the cam 52. It will be understood from this description that during the continuous rotation of camshaft 17, the cam roller 51 normally follows the profile of said cam and thus serves to impart a rocking movement to the rock-shaft 21 and an upward and downward movement to the sucker 18 with the sheet-guiding fingers connected thereto.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a rock-shaft 55 which is operatably mounted in one of the side frames of the machine, carries a trip lever comprising an arm 56 which is adapted to be interposed in the path of cam-roller 15 on rock-arm 14 and a latch-arm 57 provided at its outer end with a claw 58 adapting it to engage the latch-arm 48 carried by the rockshaft 21. Suitable means for oscillating the rock-shaft 55 at periodic intervals, may be provided by a rock-arm 59 provided with a radial slot 60 within which is adjustably mounted a pin 61 carried by the upper end of a connecting l'od G2. The lower end of the cpnnecting rod 62 is connected to an eccentric strap 63 which extends around an eccentric disc 6 L keyed to a power-driven shaft 65.

In operation, the power-driven shaft 65 is connected up to make one complete revolution for two or more complete cycles of the sheet-separating mechanism except where the machine is being employed to feed off a sheet at every revolution of the canrshaft when the periodic interruption of the separating mechanism is not required. Assuming that sheets of twice the length of those which the sheet-separating mechanism is adapted to feed normally are to be sent through the machine, the eccentric shaft 65 will be made to rotate once during the time required for two complete cycles of the sheetseparating mechanism. In consequence, every other time that the latch-arm 18 reaches the position shown in Figure 1, the latch 57 will be moved into position to interpose the claw 58 in the return path of latcharm Q8 and hence the fall of the sucker head 18 will be prevented. At the same time lever-arm 56 will block the return movement of camarm 14L- and rockshattt 10 which retains the sheet-guiding frame 31, 32, 33, in raised position until a sheetof double the normal length has been fed-elf from the pile.

It will be understood in general from the foregoing explanation that in the event that the machine has been operating upon sheets of relatively small size such as may be fed off from the pile at each recurring normally timed operation, said machine may be adapted for feeding off sheets of relatively large size by interrupting some of the return movements of the sucker and sheet-guides so as to afford sufiicient time sheets of larger size to be drawn off without interference from the dropping sheet feeding and guiding mechanism.

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pile-support, of a rock-shaft, a sheet-engaging sucker movable by said rock-shaft into engagement with the top sheet of the pile and away from said pile to separate said top sheet from the pile, a latch-arm keyed to said rock-shaft and means operable for every other operation of the sheet-engaging sucker for engaging said latch-arm for holding said sucker in raised position.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pilesupport, of a rock-shaft, sheet-feeding means mounted upon said rock-shaft and movable thereby into and out of operating position with respect to a pile of sheets on said pile-support, said rockshaft being provided with a latch-arm, and a periodically oscillatable control latch adapted to engage saidlatclrarm for interrupting the normal operation of said rock-arm.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pile-support, of a rock-shaft, a sheet-engaging sucker movable. by said rock-shaft into engagement with the top sheet of a pile mounted on said pilesupport and away from said pile to separate said" to} sheet from the pile, said rock-shaft being provided with a latch-arm, a second rockshaft, and a latch carried by the secondment-ioned rock-shaft and adapted to engage said latch-arm on the tirst-mentioned rock-shaft.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pile-support, of a sheet-engaging sucker movable into engagement with the top sheet of the pile and away from said pile to separate said top sheet from the pile, a sheet-guide movable between positions corresponding to different positions of said sheet-engaging sucker, a rock-shaft, and operating connections between said rockshaft and said sheet-engaging sucker and sheet-guide for interrupting some of the movement of the sheet-engaging sucker and sheet-guide.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pile-support, of sheetfeeding means adapted to separate the top sheet from a pile of sheets mounted on said pile-support, a sheet-guide movable relatively to and cooperating with said sheet-feeding means, arock-shaft, a cam-operated arm keyed to said rock-shaft, a lever-arm keyed to said rock-shaft and connected to said sheetguide, a second rock-shaft, and an arm keyed to said second rock-shaft and movable thereby into and out of position to interrupt the normal movement of the first-mentioned rock-shaft.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pile-support, of a sheet-engaging sucker movable into engagement with the top sheet of the pile and away from said pile to separate said top sheet from the pile, a rock-shaft for imparting step-bystep movements to a pile-feeding mechanism, a cam-operated arm keyed to said rock-shaft, a second rock-shaft, and means operated by the second-mentioned rock-shaft for interrupting the movement of said sucker and for holding the first-mentioned rock-shaft inoperative, a sheet guide movable between positions corresponding to difif'erent positions of said sheet-engaging sucker, a rock-arm keyed to the first-mentioned rock-shaft, and a link connecting said rock-arm to said sheet-guide.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pile-support, of a rock-shaft, sheet-feeding means mounted on said rock-shaft and movable thereby with respect to the top of a pile of sheets mounted on said pile-support, a cam-operated lever keyed to said rock-shaft, said lever being provided with a latclrarm, a second rock-shaft for imparting step-by-step pile-feeding movements, a cam-operated arm keyed to the second-mentioned rock-shaft, and an oscillatable control lever comprising a latch adapted to engage said latch-arm and an arm movable into and out of position to interrupt the normal movement of the cam-operated arm on the second-mentioned rock-shaft.

engagement with the top sheet of the pile and away from said pile to separate said top sheet from the pile, a cam-operated lever keyed to said rock-shaft, said lever being provided with a latch-arm, a second rockshaft, a control lever comprising a latch adapted to engage said latch-arm and an arm movable into and out of position to interrupt the normal movement of said camoperated arm on the second-mentioned rockshaft, a sheet-guide movable between positions corresponding to different positions of said sheet-engaging sucker, a rock-arm keyed to the second-mentioned rock-shaft, and a link connecting the last-mentioned rock-arm to said sheet-guide.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pile-support, of a rock-shaft, sheet-feeding means connected to said rock-shaft, a cam-operated lever keyed to said rock-shaft, said lever being provided with a latch-arm, a second rockshaft, a movable sheet-guide cooperating with sheet-engaging sucker and operatably connected to the second-mentioned rockshaft, a third rock-shaft, and a control lever keyed to the last-mentioned rock-shaft, said control lever comprising a latch adapted to engage said latch-arm and an arm movable into and out of position to interrupt the normal movement of the second-mentioned rockshaft.

10. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination with a pile-support, of a rock-shaft, a sheet-engaging sucker mounted on said rock-shaft and movable thereby into engagement with the top sheet of the pile and away from said pile to sep arate said top sheet from the pile, a cam operated lever keyed to said rock-shaft, said lever being provided with a latch-arm, a second rock-shaft for imparting step-by-step movements to a pile-feeding mechanism, a cam-operated arm keyed to the second-mentioned rock-shaft, a third rock-shaft, a control lever keyed to the last-mentioned rockshaft, said control lever comprising a latch adapted to engage said latch-arm and an arm movable into and out of position to interrupt the normal movement of the secondmentioned rock-shaft, a sheet-guide movable between positions corresponding to different positions of said sheet-engaging sucker, a rock-arm keyed to the second-mentioned rock-shaft, and a link connecting the last-mentioned rock-arm to said sheet-guide.

11. In a machine of I the character described, the combination with a pile-support, of a roclcshaft, a sheet-engaging sucker mounted on said rock-shaft and movable thereby into engagement with the top sheet of the pile and away from said pile to separate said top sheet from the pile, a camoperated lever keyed to said rock-shaft, said lever being provided with a latch-arm, a second rockshaft for imparting ste1 J-bystep movements to a pile-feeding; mechanism, a cam-operated arm keyed to the second-men tioned rock-shaft, a third rock-shaft, and a control lever keyed to the last-mentioned rock-shaft, said control lever comprising a latch adapted to engage said latch-arm and an arm movable into and out of position to interrupt the normal movement of the sec ond-mentioned rock-shaft.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination With a pile-support, of a sheet-engaging sucker movable into engagement with the top sheet of the pile and GEORGE W. JONES. JESSE MAoINNES. 

